"Jesus!" Porson shouted. "The other ship! The one from forbidden s.p.a.ce. She"s firing!
"She"s firing at the defensive!"
Impossible, it was all impossible, the other ship was an enemy. Yet Min saw the truth on the screens faster than Porson could say it aloud. From out of the swarm the unidentified vessel delivered a ma.s.sive barrage at the Amnioni.
If the alien warship had cross-linked her sinks in order to handle Punisher"s Punisher"s attack, this new onslaught would catch her unprotected; virtually defenseless- attack, this new onslaught would catch her unprotected; virtually defenseless- "More, Glessen!" Dolph roared like a thruster tube through the din. "Don"t let up!"
Punisher"s unremitting a.s.sault on one side; the stranger"s blast on the other- unremitting a.s.sault on one side; the stranger"s blast on the other- "She"s. .h.i.t!" Porson called. "She"s hurt! The defensive is hurt! We"re overloading her sinks! We"re starting to get through!"
One hundred eighteen seconds to recharge the proton cannon. Min saw a countdown on the displays; held her breath. Could Punisher Punisher and the other ship damage the Amnioni fast enough to prevent another blast? and the other ship damage the Amnioni fast enough to prevent another blast?
No. The time was nearly gone.
Perched on a torch of thrust, the gap scout scrambled out of the swarm, accelerating at a killing rate. But her escape window would close in eight seconds.
"Do it, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d!" Captain Ubikwe raged at the defensive. Captain Ubikwe raged at the defensive.
Five.
"Save yourself!"
Two. One.
The alien"s super-light proton cannon spoke again.
A coruscating flare of emissions bloomed on Punisher Punisher"s scan as Trumpet Trumpet"s unexpected ally broke open and fell into oblivion. In milliseconds her hulls cracked wide, spuming atmosphere to feed the static of the swarm; her drive imploded, its energies driven in on themselves; released power crackled across the rocks. Bodies and hopes too small to be discerned at this range were flash-burned to powder. A heartbeat later all that remained of her was the residue of destruction.
The Amnioni had saved herself. That made sense. She was hurt; lurching with pain. If she"d fired at the gap scout instead-a moving target rather than a stationary one-she might have missed. Then she might not have lived long enough to know whether Trumpet Trumpet was dead. was dead.
And the gap scout"s broadcast would reach VI.
But now the small ship had another hundred-eighteen-second window.
It sufficed. Min knew that before Bydell"s calculations confirmed it. At this rate of acceleration, Trumpet Trumpet could survive. She would have enough velocity to engage her gap drive effectively in another eighty seconds. And her automatic helm controls were more than adequate to carry her safely out of the Ma.s.sif-5 system, even if all her people were unconscious. could survive. She would have enough velocity to engage her gap drive effectively in another eighty seconds. And her automatic helm controls were more than adequate to carry her safely out of the Ma.s.sif-5 system, even if all her people were unconscious.
"Well, that"s that"s a relief," Captain Ubikwe murmured almost softly. "I must admit, I was starting to worry." a relief," Captain Ubikwe murmured almost softly. "I must admit, I was starting to worry."
Yet he didn"t delay. The Amnioni"s proton cannon might be turned on Punisher Punisher next-especially now that the cruiser was in a better position to cover next-especially now that the cruiser was in a better position to cover Trumpet. Trumpet.
"Sergei," he instructed promptly, "I think this might be a good time to resume evasive action. Just because our friend is hurt doesn"t mean she can"t hit us."
No. With an effort, Min straightened herself in her g-seat. No. The defensive had known where Trumpet Trumpet would emerge from the swarm. She might know where would emerge from the swarm. She might know where Trumpet Trumpet was headed now. And she might have other allies-allies she didn"t expect. Hashi"s mercenary, was headed now. And she might have other allies-allies she didn"t expect. Hashi"s mercenary, Free Lunch Free Lunch, remained unaccounted for. That ship might be somewhere in the vicinity, waiting for her chance to strike.
Punisher still had work to do. still had work to do.
"I think, Captain Ubikwe," Min countered, "this might be a good time to get the h.e.l.l out of here."
He wheeled his station to face her. He may have been about to protest, Get out of here? And leave an Amnion warship running loose in human s.p.a.ce? But she didn"t give him time to speak.
"Trumpet needs us," she p.r.o.nounced, summoning her full authority. "What you call "our friend" could decide to go in pursuit. She"ll have to do it from a standing start, but she might try it anyway. needs us," she p.r.o.nounced, summoning her full authority. "What you call "our friend" could decide to go in pursuit. She"ll have to do it from a standing start, but she might try it anyway.
"And we haven"t seen Free Lunch Free Lunch yet. If she"s watching all this, she knows yet. If she"s watching all this, she knows Trumpet"s Trumpet"s alive. She can still try to fulfill her contract. alive. She can still try to fulfill her contract.
"This is our chance to get ahead of them both."
Their chance to make sure humankind didn"t lose what the gap scout"s people had to give.
Fortunately Dolph understood her. He didn"t require a time-consuming explanation.
"All right." He nodded decisively. "We"ll let VPs gunboats have that defensive. If she sticks around long enough for them to find her.
"Bring us about, Sergei," he ordered. "Let"s see if we can catch Trumpet Trumpet before she produces any more surprises." before she produces any more surprises."
Patrice didn"t hesitate. "Aye, Captain."
Roughly he threw Punisher Punisher into a turn so hard that Min"s vision went gray at the edges, and her heart seemed to falter against her ribs. Nevertheless she kept watching the screens until she saw into a turn so hard that Min"s vision went gray at the edges, and her heart seemed to falter against her ribs. Nevertheless she kept watching the screens until she saw Trumpet"s Trumpet"s blip wink out in a characteristic burst of gap emission. The gap scout had gone into tach. blip wink out in a characteristic burst of gap emission. The gap scout had gone into tach.
Ten minutes of brutal g and matter cannon fire pa.s.sed before Cray announced that Trumpet Trumpet had left a Cla.s.s-1 UMCP homing signal trace behind her. had left a Cla.s.s-1 UMCP homing signal trace behind her.
This is the end of Chaos and Order. Chaos and Order.
The story concludes in The Gap Into Ruin Into Ruin This Day All G.o.ds Die. This Day All G.o.ds Die.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR.
STEPHEN R. DONALDSON made his writing debut in 1977 with the first Thomas Covenant books; the series quickly became an international bestseller and earned him worldwide critical acclaim. Stephen Donaldson was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and currently lives in New Mexico.